Naukri.com, has been recognised as India’s most successful venture investor, following its long-term investments in startups such as Zomato and Policybazaar, which generated substantial returns. The recognition reinforces the company’s reputation as a key player in India’s startup ecosystem.
Led by Sanjeev Bikhchandani, often called India’s Warren Buffett, Info Edge has deployed a total of ₹3,959.16 crore across multiple platforms over the past fifteen years, with the fair market value of these investments now worth several times the initial capital. Among its notable early bets were homegrown listed companies Zomato and Policybazaar, with investments of ₹483.78 crore and ₹591.40 crore respectively. The current value of its holdings in Zomato is estimated at ₹38,350 crore, while its stake in Policybazaar is valued at ₹15,133 crore. Together, these companies have a market capitalisation exceeding ₹3.8 lakh crore.
Following these successes, Info Edge expanded its portfolio to include startups across various sectors, such as men’s grooming brand Ustra, B2B ecommerce platform Shopkirana, edtech company Adda247, inter-city travel platform Zingbus, and travel tech platform ixigo, among others. In total, the company has invested in 111 ventures.
Founded in 1995 by Bikhchandani, Info Edge is one of India’s earliest internet-based firms and operates across recruitment (Naukri), real estate (99acres), matrimony (Jeevansathi), and education. Its investment journey has unfolded in four distinct phases. The first phase, from 2007 to 2012, laid the groundwork for its largest successes, Zomato and Policybazaar, among other early-stage companies.
The second phase, from 2012 to 2015, involved cautious investment while awaiting the emergence of winners from the initial phase. Between 2016 and 2019, once Zomato and Policybazaar were confirmed successes, Info Edge invested in companies including Adda247 and Shipsy. These firms are at various stages of development, and the company remains optimistic that some could generate substantial returns in the future.
Several of Info Edge’s portfolio companies have gone on to secure funding at higher valuations from prominent investors such as Westbridge Capital, Google, Peak XV Partners, and A91 Partners. Many of these ventures are now well capitalised with sufficient resources to scale and potentially pursue public listings in the coming years.